Berman Confident Schools Bill Won’t Survive In House

Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sheldon Berman says he has “a good deal of confidence” that a neighborhood schools bill that cleared the state Senate Friday won’t survive in the House.

The Republican-sponsored bill would allow students to attend the school closest to their homes if they choose.

Berman says the legislation would dismantle the JCPS desegregation plan and undermine local control of school districts.

“We should not be legislating-in Frankfort-local decisions about student assignment when the board and the community know best what kind of plan we should have,” he said Friday.

The bill was prompted in part by complaints from some Jefferson County parents about long bus rides their children have to endure under the assignment plan.

The chairman of the House Education Committee tells the Courier-Journal that the bill has little chance of passing his Democratic-led chamber.